Sealing guide

ABSTRACT

A sealing guide for a movable window has a channel frame, the end of each leg extends inwardly and has sealing means that project towards the channel interior, and abutment means are disposed between each end portion and the leg thereof to form a buffer and to limit outward movement of the end portion.

United States Patent [191 Niemanns 1 Apr. 30, 1974 SEALING GUIDE 2,451,450 10/1948 Sparagen 49/498 2,821,430 l/1958 Grede 49/440 [75] Inventor Germany 2,839,796 6/1958 Quoss 49/498 x [73] Assignee: Draftex GmbH, Rheinland, Germany Primary ExaminerW. C. Reynolds [22] Flled' 1970 Assistant Examiner-Philip C. Kannan [21] Appl. No.1 102,705 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sau1 Jecies [30] Foreign Application PriorityData Jan. 9, 1970 Germany 7001383 ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 49/441, 52/400, 52/716,

161/64 A sealing guide for a movable window has a channel [51] Int. Cl E06b 7/22 frame, the end of each g extends nw r ly nd h [58] Field of Search 49/441, 440, 489, 488, sealing means thet P j towards the channel inter- 49/498, 436; 161/64, 101; 52/716-718 ior, and abutment means are disposed between each 1 end portion and the leg thereof to form a buffer and to [56] Refe en e Ci d limit outward movement of the end portion.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,401,075 9/1968 Jackson 49/441 x 13 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure Inn/n11 IIIIIIIIIJ IIIIIIIIIIII \x SEALING GUIDE Reference is had to my co-pending application Ser. No. 13,350, filed on Feb. 24, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a sealing window guide primarily made of rubber or synthetic resin. It relates more particularly to such a guide that is designed especially for windows which can be wound up and down, such as in motor vehicles. The instant invention is particularly advantageous where the external edge portions of the window guide are bent over at an acute angle towards the interior of the channel thereof and come to lie against the windowpane. At the points of contact with the windowpane, the edge portions are frequently provided with a flocking, for example, applied by electrostatic means. The foregoing ensures a generally satisfactory seal which in its initial stages at least prevents the occurrence of drafts between the internal area of the motor vehicle and the outside air. The above-mentioned flocking layer can at the same time also be applied to the web of the channel, against which the edge of the windowpane lies. The desired elasticity is attained by the fact that the legs of the channel, at their respective edges, are bent over at an acute angle.

With the foregoing construction it is, however, experienced that during prolonged use such as in the course of the steady backward pressing and releasing of the bent channel edges which results from the fact that the windowpanes are wound up and down repeatedly, the elasticity of these marginal segments will gradually decrease. This causes the seal to deteriorate between the windowpane and the marginal segments, in particular the flocked layer of same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is one of the principal objects of the present invention to avoid the drawbacks of the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a window sealing guide which is simple and positive in operation and requires very little maintenance.

It is still another object of the instant invention to provide such a guide which is constituted of but few parts and is relatively inexpensive to make.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

Broadly, the foregoing is achieved by insuring that an end portion of a leg of the channel is bent inwardly and has at least one reinforcing member or projection that forms abutment means with the channel leg. This member should be directed towards one of the sides of the corresponding interior of the channel leg and be of such proportion that on gradual decrease of the elasticity of the leg or flexing of same to a greatdegree the reinforcing member will lie with its outermost edge against the inner side of the channel leg and thereby provide a buffer to prevent the bent-over edge portion from contacting the interior of the leg.

The abovementioned reinforcing members, being longitudinal, are preferably positioned at approximately right angles to the inner surface of the leg. The

reinforcing members can be in form of ribs which are mounted on top of the end portion. They may also consist of doubled-over segments of the leg and the channel edge which runs approximately at a right or acute angle to the bent-over edge portion of the channel itself. 7

The reinforcing ribs can extend over the entire length of the channel or can be formed of individual partial ribs such as bosses, or a series of punctiforrn elevations which are separated from one another by gaps.

The channel may be provided with a conventional insert, such as of a ductile or malleable metal. To install the channel in a retaining groove on a windowframe, which retaining groove also has a corresponding shaped channel, the external surfaces of the legs are preferably provided with retaining ribs, which are operable to prevent the channel from sliding out of its retaining groove.

With the above and other objects of the invention in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of various devices, elements and parts, as set forth in the claims hereof, one embodiment of the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE VIEW In the accompanying drawing the single view is a cross-section through half of a window sealing guide.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which there is shown a channel sealing guide having two legs 1 and being made of synthetic rubber, natural rubber or a yieldable synthetic resin. The channel has disposed therein a suitable conventional metal strip 2 which, for example, may be imbedded by an extrusion process during the manufacture of the channel.

An edge portion or segment 3 of the external edge of the leg 1 of the channel is curved and bent-over at an acute angle back towards the interior of the channel itself; there is thus formeda region between the leg 1 and the segment 3 which forms a reinforcement ridge 4. The particular portion of the segment 3 which lies against the windowpane (not shown) is provided with a sealing means such as a flocked layer 5 which helps to provide a good seal between the channel and the windowpane, thereby avoiding drafts. Another flocked layer 6 may also be provided on the web of the channel.

The thickness of the flocked layer is equal to about 2mm. The sealing means 5 as well as the layer 6 may also be a yieldable material, brush shaped or in the form of bristles.

When the windowpane lies against the channel, it laterally presses the segment 3 outwardly against the inner surface 8 of the leg 1. The segment 3 must thereby display a certain degree of elasticity or compression.

A reinforcing rib or projection 7 is provided between one segment 3 and the leg 1 and forms a buffer therebetween to insure that the foregoing compression will not lead to a substantial reduction in elasticity of the segment 3; it thus forms an abutment means with the leg I. The reinforcing rib 7 may be disposed at one end of the segment 3 and extend at approximately right angles to the inner surface 8 of the corresponding leg 1 and prevent the segment 3 from being pressed outwardly beyond a certain limit. This is done by ensuring that the outer edges of the rib 7 will come to lie against the inner surface 8 of the leg 1.

In the simplest case, the reinforcing rib 7 consists, as shown, of a doubled-over edge of the segment 3. It can, however also be in the form of a superimposed separate rib, mounted on the segment 3. In either case, the reinforcing rib 7 can be an integral part of the segment 3.

There are retaining ribs 9 and 10 disposed on the external side of the leg which prevent the inserted channel from accidentally sliding out of its retaining groove (not shown). The retaining ribs 9 and 10 have a shape such that they are operable to resist sliding of the window guide out of its retaining groove.

1 wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to be secured by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A sealing guide for use in connection with a window that is movable to and from a rest position, said guide being adapted to seal the edge portions of the window-panes in the rest position thereof, comprising in combination:

a channel frame including a transverse wall and two legs extending upwardly from and forming first junctions with said transverse wall, the end portion of each leg extending inwardly of the channel adjacent to and forming a second junction with its leg and having sealing means projecting in a direction towards the channel interior, whereby the windowpanes upon entering into the channel will engage and exert a laterally outwardly directed force against said sealing means tending to move each of said end portions outwardly towards its leg by elastic yielding of the respective end portion at its juncture with the associated leg;

abutment means disposed between each end portion and the leg thereof intermediate the associated first and second junctions and operative to form a buffer when said laterally outwardly directed force is exerted, to limit the outward movement of said end portion relative to said leg thereof; said end portions being bent inwardly of the channel and forming therewith an angle of less than and said abutment means including a projection disposed on said end portions.

2. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, and further sealing means connected to the web of the interior of said channel to seal the end edge of the windowpane in the rest position.

3. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection is disposed near the tip of said end portion.

4. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of synthetic rubber, natural rubber and yieldable synthetic resins.

5. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection extends substantially normal to the inner surface of said leg.

6. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection is an integral part of said end portion.

7. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection forms an angle of not more than 90 with said leg.

8. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a yieldable material.

9. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means is brush shaped.

10. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means is comprised of bristles.

11. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a ductile metal insert embedded substantially in the center of said channel.

12. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a base of flocked material disposed on said sealing means.

13. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 12, wherein said flocked material has a thickness of about 2mm. 

1. A sealing guide for use in connection with a window that is movable to and from a rest position, said guide being adapted to seal the edge portions of the window-panes in the rest position thereof, comprising in combination: a channel frame including a transverse wall and two legs extending upwardly from and forming first junctions with said transverse wall, the end portion of each leg extending inwardly of the channel adjacent to and forming a second junction with its leg and having sealing means projecting in a direction towards the channel interior, whereby the windowpanes upon entering into the channel will engage and exert a laterally outwardly directed force against said sealing means tending to move each of said end portions outwardly towards its leg by elastic yielding of the respective end portion at its juncture with the associated leg; abutment means disposed between each end portion and the leg thereof intermediate the associated first and second junctions and operative to form a buffer when said laterally outwardly directed force is exerted, to limit the outward movement of said end portion relative to said leg thereof; said end portions being bent inwardly of the channel and forming therewith an angle of less than 90*, and said abutment means including a projection disposed on said end portions.
 2. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, and further sealing means connected to the web of the interior of said channel to seal the end edge of the windowpane in the rest position.
 3. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection is disposed near the tip of said end portion.
 4. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said channel is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of synthetic rubber, natural rubber and yieldable synthetic resins.
 5. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection extends substantially normal to the inner surface of said leg.
 6. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection is an integral part of said end portion.
 7. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said projection forms an angle of not more than 90* with said leg.
 8. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means comprises a yieldable material.
 9. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means is brush shaped.
 10. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sealing means is comprised of bristles.
 11. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a ductile metal insert embedded substantially in the center of said channel.
 12. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising a base of flocked material disposed on said sealing means.
 13. A sealing guide as claimed in claim 12, wherein said flocked material has a thickness of about 2mm. 